“Papa, look!”
Tony looked up from his machinery and over to his daughter. She was playing with DUM-E and U at the moment, seated between the two machines. Various toys were scattered on the floor- most notably My Little Pony ones- and DUM-E was grasping one of Hrá’s various pony figures in his claw.
“What exactly are you wanting me to look at, tiny?”
“At DUM-E!”
Tony chuckled softly. “Oh, you wanted to show me that he’s got your pony?”
“Yeah,” She giggled.
“Cute. Glad he’s keeping you occupied.”
Hrá’s eyes met Tony’s. “What’s that mean, papa?”
“Keeping you busy. That's what it means,” Tony said as he turned back to his work.
“Ohh.” Hrá nodded, not quite understanding but acting like she did. “ ‘Kay.”
DUM-E chirped, lowering his arm so the toy met the ground.
“Wanna diff’rent pony, DUM-E?” The toddler asked, picking one up for herself. DUM-E chirped again and imitated a nod.
“Here, you can have Dashie.” She picked up a blue pony, placing it in DUM-E’s claw.
She then turned to the other machine.
“U, you can be Flutters.” She handed a yellow one over to U, earning a beep of approval.
“Imma be Rara,” she said proudly, holding up the white pony in her hand.
She then grabbed another one- a purple one- and stood up. She ran over to her father's side, the robots following behind,
“Papa, you be Twilight because you’re smart.” She placed the toy on her father’s worktable. Tony chuckled, turning to her.
“You want me to play too?”
Hrá nodded, then climbed up into his lap. “Yeah. You gotta play too!”
“Even though I got other stuff to do?”
Hrá nodded.
“You can’t go get your mom to play instead? I’m sure he’s not busy. Go take U and DUM-E to find him.”
That idea seemed to be one the toddler was fond of. She squirmed out of Tony’s lap, leaving the figure on his workspace.
“Just in case you wanna play later.”
“Thanks, peanut.” He kissed his daughters forehead. “Now go find your mom.”
“Kay! Bye papa!” She smiled, running off to the spot she had been sitting at. She gathered a few of her toys from the floor before then leading the bots out the lab’s door.
“We gotta find mama. Okay?” She said to the machines, getting chirps and beeps in response. The trio made their way down the hallway, not yet bumping into Loki.
“Jarvis?” Hrá said, looking up to the ceiling. Tony had taught her to do that- and to talk to Jarvis in general.
“Yes, Miss Stark?”
“Where’s mama?”
“Your mother is in the living room, Miss Stark.”
“Oh, okay. Thanks Jarvis.” She smiled.
“My pleasure.”
“To the living room!” Hrá said to both of the machines, starting their ‘journey’.
DUM-E followed close behind her, chirping happily. U followed behind DUM-E, simply treading along.
It continued like that for a few minutes until they reached their destination- the living room.
“Mama!” Hrá chirped, dropping her armful of toys as she entered the room. Loki’s attention was quickly stolen from his book, now all on his child.
“Hello little giant,” Loki chuckled. Hrá trotted over to him, grinning.
“Hi mama,” She answered as she climbed up and sat on Loki’s lap. DUM-E and U rolled up to the couch, chirping and beeping their greetings to Loki. “Papa told us to come play with you.”
“Oh he did, did he?”
“Mhm! He said you wouldn’t be busy!”
“Ah, of course he did.” Loki shut his book, placing it on the side table. “Well, I suppose since you’re here I shouldn’t disappoint and not play. What do you have in mind?”
Hrá giggled, showing him the pony she was holding in her hand. “We can play ponies!”
“Oh, lovely idea darling. Which should I be?”
Hrá got off of Loki’s lap, pulling him by the hands. “Come on.”
Loki laughed softly, standing up and letting the little one lead him over to her pile of toys. Once she was over there, Hrá let go of her mother's hands and plopped herself onto the floor.
“Sit with me, mama.”
Loki obliged, sitting on the floor next to his little girl. DUM-E and U joined them, still both holding the figures Hrá had given them.
“Mama, you be Luna. She’s pretty, like papa says you are.” She handed Loki the dark blue pony figure, smiling.
“Alright. What does Luna do, darling?”
“She’s a princess! And she does stuff with the moon.”
“Oh, so she’s a bit like you, isn’t she princess?”
Hrá giggled. “Mamaaa… no. Like you. She has magic!”
“I see. Magical and pretty.”
“Yeah! Like you.” She was grinning again.
Loki chuckled softly and nodded. “Now, which one are you then?”
“I’m Rara! She makes pretty dresses.”
“How lovely,” Loki said, smiling.
“Luna comes to see her to get a dress!”
“Ah, alright.” Loki cleared his throat, raising the pitch of his voice. He moved the toy across the carpet to where Hrá held hers.
“Hello Rara,” He started, earning another giggle from the girl. “I’m here to get a dress made for the ball I’m attending.”
Hrá, in her best attempt to recreate the ponies voice, responded. “Okay! I will make you the prettiest dress.”
“Why thank you.”
DUM-E chirped, lowering his arm and moving the one he held to the mage and his daughter’s.
“You wanna dress too, Dashie?” Hrá- or in this case ‘Rarity’- asked.
DUM-E chirped again.
U lowered his arm and added his toy into the mix, beeping softly.
“And a dress for Flutters? Okay!”
“Goodness, you sure have a lot of customers today,” ‘Luna’ said.
“They want the bestest dresses for the party!”
Suddenly, there was a noise at the doorway.
“Hey you. Any room for one more?” Tony’s voice asked.
Hrá looked up to see her father in the doorframe and squealed happily, her imitation voice forgotten.
“Papa!”
“Hello Anthony. Do join us. We’re getting dresses made.”
“Ohh, sounds fun.” He made his way over to the group sitting on the floor, joining them. He sat next to Loki, grinning at him.
“Seems you’re not busy anymore,” Loki said.
“Yup. Finished up early.”
Tony added the pony Hrá had given him into the little group. He raised the pitch of his voice as Loki had, grinning.
“May I get a dress too?”
“Yes!” ‘Rarity’ giggled.
The little game went on for a few hours, even resulting in Tony bringing out the little castle play set Hrá had to make it just that much better.
By the end of it all, they had all curled up on the couch- Loki cuddled against Tony, Hrá asleep and sprawled on Loki’s chest. DUM-E and U had returned to their charging stations not long before.
Tony sighed contently, kissing the top of the mages head. “Hey. Have I told you lately I love you?”
“Yes. And I never tire of hearing it, my dear.”
“Good. Because I really do love you. Both of you.”
Another content sigh escaped the genius’s lips. He had to be the luckiest person in the world.